The basic steps to film and share a video on Instagram
Open Instagram, tap the plus sign at the bottom of the screen, and select Reel or Feed depending on where you want the video to appear. Reels are short videos (up to 90 seconds) that play in a dedicated feed and get recommended to people who don't follow you. Feed videos are longer (up to 60 minutes) and appear in the feeds of people who already follow you. Tap the red circle to start recording, then tap it again to stop. You can record multiple clips in one video by tapping the circle, stopping, moving your phone or changing your setup, then tapping again.
After you finish recording, Instagram shows you editing tools. You can trim clips, add text, explore filters, or add music from Instagram's library. When you're ready, tap Next, write a caption, choose who can see the video, then tap Share. The video uploads and appears on your profile or in the Reels feed within seconds to a few minutes, depending on your internet connection and the video's length.
Key Takeaways
- Reels are short videos (up to 90 seconds) that reach people outside your followers, while Feed videos are longer and only reach people who already follow you.
- You can record multiple clips in one video by stopping and starting the recording, or upload a video you filmed on your phone beforehand.
- Instagram's built-in editor lets you trim, add text, explore filters, and add music before you post — you don't need another app.
- Videos upload faster on WiFi than on mobile data, and longer videos take longer to process before they appear on your profile.
Recording directly in the Instagram app versus uploading a video you already filmed
You can film a video inside Instagram using the camera tool, or you can film on your phone's camera app first and upload it later. Recording inside Instagram is faster if you want to post right away — you see the editing tools when ready and can add music or text without switching apps. Uploading a video you already filmed gives you more control: you can film in better lighting, use a tripod, or edit the video in another app before uploading.
To upload a video you already have, tap the plus sign, select Reel or Feed, then tap the gallery icon (usually in the bottom left corner). Choose the video from your phone's camera roll. Instagram will let you trim it to fit the time limit for that format. If your video is longer than 90 seconds and you want to post it as a Reel, you'll need to trim it in your phone's video editor or another app first.
What happens to your video after you post it
Once you tap Share, Instagram uploads the video to its servers. The video appears on your profile almost when ready, but Instagram continues processing it in the background for a few minutes. During this time, the video may look lower quality or play slowly if someone tries to watch it. After processing finishes, the video plays at full quality.
Instagram's system then decides where to show your video based on what you posted. If it's a Reel, Instagram's algorithm looks at the video's length, whether people pause or skip it, and what hashtags or sounds you used, then decides whether to show it to people who don't follow you. If it's a Feed video, it appears in the feeds of your followers and in the feeds of people who visit your profile. Videos you post are visible to whoever you set the privacy to — Public means anyone on Instagram can find it, Friends means only people you follow back can see it, and Close Friends means only a list you create can see it.
Using music, text, and filters in your video
After you record or upload a video, tap the music icon to add a song from Instagram's library. Search by song name, artist, or mood. The music plays over your video starting from whatever point you choose. You can adjust how loud the music is compared to the sound you recorded — if you filmed someone talking, you can make the music quieter so people hear the voice.
To add text, tap the text icon and type what you want to say. You can change the font, color, and size, and choose when the text appears and disappears during the video. Filters change the color and tone of the entire video — tap the smiley face icon to see them. You can explore a filter to the whole video or just to certain clips if you recorded multiple takes.
Fixing common problems when posting a video
If your video won't upload, check that you have a strong WiFi or data connection and that the video file isn't corrupted. Try closing Instagram completely and opening it again. If the video is very long or very large, it may time out — trim it shorter or compress it in your phone's settings before uploading. If Instagram says the video format isn't supported, the file may be in a format Instagram doesn't recognize; try converting it to MP4 using a free online converter.
If your video uploads but plays in the wrong orientation (sideways instead of upright, or vice versa), your phone's camera may have recorded it at an angle. You can rotate it in the editing screen before posting. If the video appears blurry, the lighting was too dim when you filmed it, or your phone moved too much during recording. Re-film in brighter light or use a tripod to keep the phone steady.
Understanding video quality and file size
Instagram compresses videos to make them upload faster and use less data. This means the video that appears on Instagram will look slightly lower quality than the original file on your phone. To get the best quality after compression, film in good lighting and keep your phone as still as possible. Videos filmed in 1080p (Full HD) or higher will look sharper than videos filmed in 720p or lower, even after Instagram compresses them.
Larger files take longer to upload. A 30-second Reel filmed on a modern phone is usually 50 to 200 megabytes and uploads in under a minute on WiFi. A 10-minute Feed video can be 500 megabytes to over 1 gigabyte and may take several minutes to upload. If you're on mobile data, uploads take much longer — consider waiting until you're on WiFi if your video is long.
Choosing between Reels, Feed videos, and Stories
Reels are the format Instagram promotes most heavily right now. They appear in a dedicated Reels tab, get recommended to people who don't follow you, and can reach a much larger audience than Feed videos. Reels work best for entertaining, educational, or trending content — dances, tutorials, comedy, or clips set to popular music. Feed videos are better if you want to share longer content with people who already follow you, like a full workout, a cooking video, or a personal update. Stories are videos that disappear after 24 hours and appear at the top of followers' feeds; they're best for casual, behind-the-scenes content you don't want to keep on your profile permanently.
If you're trying to grow your audience, post Reels regularly. If you want to keep your followers updated, post Feed videos. If you want to share something temporary without cluttering your profile, post a Story. You can post the same video in multiple formats — a 30-second clip as a Reel and a longer version as a Feed video, for example.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I edit a video after I post it?
You can edit the caption, the privacy setting, and who can comment, but you cannot edit the video itself after posting. If you need to change the video, delete the post and upload a new version. Deleting removes all likes and comments on the original post.
What's the best length for an Instagram Reel?
Reels can be up to 90 seconds, but shorter Reels (15 to 30 seconds) tend to get more views because people are more likely to watch them all the way through. If your content is longer, post it as a Feed video instead.
Why is my video getting no views?
Instagram's algorithm decides who sees your video based on how engaging it is. If people skip it quickly, don't like it, or don't comment, Instagram shows it to fewer people. Try posting at times when your followers are active, use trending sounds and hashtags, and make the first few seconds interesting so people don't skip.
Can I post a video from my computer instead of my phone?
Instagram's website lets you upload photos but not videos on most browsers. Use the Instagram app on your phone, or use a third-party scheduling tool like Buffer or Later if you want to plan videos in advance and post them from your computer.
Does Instagram own my video after I post it?
You own the video, but by posting it on Instagram, you give Instagram permission to use it. Instagram can show your video in recommendations, ads, or other features. You can delete the video anytime to remove it from Instagram's servers.